Which combining form is used to indicate the kidney in medical terms?

Which combining form is used to indicate the kidney in medical terms?

• A. ren-
• B. hepat-
• C. gastr-
• D. pneum-

Answer: (A)

Recognizing organ-specific combining forms is the key idea. The kidney is indicated by ren- (often written as ren/o- when a vowel is attached), which you see in terms like renal artery, renal function, and renin. That’s why this form is the one that marks the kidney in medical terminology. The other options map to different organs: hepat- signals the liver (as in hepatology or hepatitis), gastr- signals the stomach (gastritis), and pneum- relates to air or the lungs (pneumonia, pneumothorax). There is also a Greek-derived form nephr- used in some terms, but ren- is the standard combining form for the kidney in many medical terms.

Recognizing organ-specific combining forms is the key idea. The kidney is indicated by ren- (often written as ren/o- when a vowel is attached), which you see in terms like renal artery, renal function, and renin. That’s why this form is the one that marks the kidney in medical terminology.

The other options map to different organs: hepat- signals the liver (as in hepatology or hepatitis), gastr- signals the stomach (gastritis), and pneum- relates to air or the lungs (pneumonia, pneumothorax). There is also a Greek-derived form nephr- used in some terms, but ren- is the standard combining form for the kidney in many medical terms.